GPS – Read or write for pleasure for an hour a day

GOAL: SPEND AN HOUR EACH DAY READING AND WRITING FOR PLEASURE

GOAL SUMMARY: I dearly love to read and write for pleasure. Yet both seem to somehow lose their place on my priority list when other things “come up.” Is this because they’re really not that important to me? I don’t think so, because I definitely miss them in my life. Is it because I simply don’t know how to prioritize them so that they are a part of my life, no matter what? Maybe. I suppose this GPS will help me if that’s the case. Perhaps part of the reason I don’t read or write for pleasure as often as I should is because I don’t feel I deserve to enjoy a block of time like that each day. Now there’s an introspective thought. I could probably write for an hour or more just on that one.

Regardless, this is one of at least three goal planning sheets I’m working on this week. I’ve both broadened and narrowed this one already today. It initially was going to be “Spend 30-60 minutes reading each day.” That then got changed to “spend an hour reading each day” because as I think about what I really want, not just what I could probably squeeze in, it’s more then half an hour a day. I then added the writing and the “for pleasure” aspects, because there’s plenty of reading and writing that “need” to be done each day, and I honestly don’t want that to “count” toward a meaningful personal goal. Stuff like this GPS might count, because I enjoy it, but at the same time, it’s not really intended for my own release or growth.

So here we go…. my Goal Planning Sheet to help me turn this bit of a dream into reality.

GOAL:

Spend an hour a day, every day, reading or writing for pleasure.

TARGET DATE:

MM/DD/YYYY

TODAY’S DATE:

August 25, 2010

REWARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT:

I will have at least an hour a day of “me time” to relax, unwind, and either fill my mind and heart with something I want to read abou, or, to clear my head an put my heart into written words.

As I read more, I will find new insights into topics that matter to me.

As I write more, I will develop ways of communicating what is in my head and heart into words, which drives them home more than just leaving them “stored” there.

I will develop my writing skills and produce material for later use, which will develop my potential for writing a book, devotional, or articles in the future.

I will develop reading skills, fill my mind with a steady flow of new ideas, and increase my horizons of understanding as I have time set aside each day. I will not limited to “must-reads.”

I will further develop the “trail” of my life that I or others can look back on later to see where God has led.

CONSEQUENSES OF NON-ACHIEVEMENT:

I will read and write spuratically, either too much or too little.

If I spend too much time on pleasure reading and writing, other areas of my life will suffer from lack of attention.

If I don’t spend enough time on pleasure reading and writing, my heart will go stale from lack of new input or from having too much “stuff” inside that is not allowed to be let out

I will continue to lose control of the hours I have each day.

AFFIRMATIONS:

I gain much insight from reading. I love to interact with books, and find things in them that I can use to build up my own life and those of others.

I write for my soul in a way that expresses it to others. I express thoughts that are important to me in ways that communicate my thoughts and intents to others, encourage them to consider how what I write may apply to their own lives, and in ways that I can come back to later and revisit.

POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATEDELEGATED TO

SOLUTION

No “blocked off time” to read each day

Read and write first thing in the morning.

Read and write as the last part of my day.

Schedule time at the beginning of each day or week to read, based on the planned activities of the day.

Schedule some time for each day of the week to read or write, preferably first thing in the morning or during a block of time during the day.

If the schedule does not work, rearrange it.

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POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATE

DELEGATED TO

Lack of variety in reading materials

Have a reading plan that is always planning 2-3 books into the future.

Have 2-3 books going at once, depending the place or time of day I am reading.

Pick a variety of topics, and do not read the same topic more than once out of every three books:

Matters of the Heart – Ransomed Heart

Being a Man, Husband, and Father

Historical Stories / Biographies

“How To” books on topics I’m interested in

Have one book at home, and one at the office.

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POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATE

DELEGATED TO

Inbalance of reading and writing each day

Consider before starting to read or write what it is I want to accomplish during the time I have.

Read at least 3-4 times per week, and write at least 3-4 times each week as well.

Spend at least one day each week just reading, and one day each week writing.

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POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATE

DELEGATED TO

Reading or writing for pleasure begins to require more than an hour a day.

Cut back.

Look at why it’s requiring so much time. Is it becoming more than just for “pleasure” that I should be planning into part of my day?

Stick to the block of time I’ve allotte dfor now. 7 hours a week is a lot more then I have been reading.

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POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATE

DELEGATED TO

Literally do not have time to read or write some days.

Have an audiobook in the car or on my PDA/IPod

Be content to end my day with writing one good sentence.

Put an audiobook on my Ipod or Blackberry so I can have it available wherever I am.

Keep a journal by my bed to write a brief something at the end of the day when I just haven’t had time to do any reading or writing for myself.

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POSSIBLE OBSTACLE

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

ACTION STEPS

MUST-DO DATE

DELEGATED TO

Reading or writing for myself takes time away from my family.

Evaluate what else I’m doing for myself. Spending an hour each day building into my own life is not a lot to ask. Perhaps there are other areas that could I am already doing that will fit into this goal, such as Daily Bible Reading.

Confront the issue with my family, if I truly am not being “allowed” (by myself or others) to spend time developing my own heart.

Perhaps I have too many other things I’m doing for myself. Evaluate whether these are “seasonal” and should be allowed to interfere for a SET amount of time, or whether they are more/less important than the goal, and cut one out.

Make it a priority to set this goal in motion in the early morning hours, when I have the most time “to myself.”

Share this goal with my wife.

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So there we go… Did I miss any obstacles? If I do these things, will I accomplish my goal? Will this goal lead me toward my dreams of reading, writing, and sharing my thoughts in a more influential way, such as writing a book, creating a year-long devotional, or filling my heart and mine with thoughts that motivate and get me through tough circumstances?